Lantau Habitat Mapping

With the support of Morgan Stanley, The Nature Conservancy is embarking on a new project to take stock of what we have today and look at the development threats that will potentially impact one of Hong Kong’s most iconic islands, Lantau. By bringing in TNC’s acknowledged mapping expertise, our aim is to create a comprehensive habitat map of Lantau, from which the public will learn about the benefits and drawbacks associated with the potential land development in the area. The result will increase public awareness on Lantau’s remaining critical habitats that need conservation and hopefully, actions taken to protect them.

About Lantau Island

Hong Kong is well placed to pilot innovative conservation programs that demonstrate the power and effectiveness of combining good science, facilitating and expanding partners’ efforts, and tailoring community engagement in an urban context.

Lantau Island

Most biologically diverse out of Hong Kong’s 263 islands and contains critical habitats such as freshwater streams, wetlands, grasslands and forests.

Increasing pressure by the Government and developers to build on Lantau.

A comprehensive habitat and biodiversity map is currently unavailable for Lantau and is urgently needed to ensure that critical habitats receive necessary protection.

Why is Comprehensive Habitat Mapping important?

With relevant data, we can inform the public about what will be gained and lost with the proposed development blueprint, and ultimately the habitats being threatened will receive the needed conservation attention.

It can also help raise awareness and inspire public’s engagement and support to act on filling the gaps of habitats conservation on Lantau.

Providing scientific data is essential to making informed decisions for conservation.